Monday, 21 April 2014

At the end of a radio interview when 69 year old , Jewish, Hungarian born Canadian physician Gabor Mate was asked ‘ is there more love in your life now?’ he paused.

‘I think there is more space in my heart for love,’ he said quietly.

I think there is more space in our hearts for love when we pass 60. What we do with that space depends on lots of things.

And sometimes that space shuts down !

This morning I was deeply disappointed with our village doctor, again.
My heart door slammed shut.

There seems to be a Berlin Wall wall between us.
I cannot communicate with him without judging him, severely. He speaks to me like I'm a teenager with many serious learning challenges.
I see in front of me an arrogant adolescent with mother issues!

LOL !! I thought I'd stopped judging people !!

I'm angry that so many folk in our village seem to suffer, month after month, year after year. Yes I know the difference between healing and curing. A kind encouraging word can be powerful medicine.

Those who visit the not too far away faith healer do get better.
The whispered stories about her in the village are amazing.

I need the hip operation, so I have to follow the doctors instructions.

Oh that he would be a clone of Gabor Mate!

Comparisons get you nowhere Meg, thought your knew that?

So when I returned from the surgery this morning, heart pounding, but tongue in cheek I Googled, ‘ What to do when somebody disappoints you.’

Wow, was I in for a pleasant surprise.

Why was I so churned up about our mocking, cynical, smart- alek, foreigner disliking, bearded, 54 year old doc who looks 74?

Without fail , they always get me right back on track - within seconds.

Why did I lose the plot again with Dr Don't Look Me in the Eye? What happened?

I reacted instead of acted.
I took the doctors (extreme) disinterest in my 'condition' personally. I also made an assumption he didn't care a F*%*!

Don Miguel’s 4 Agreements:

Don’t take anything personally.
Don’t make assumptions.
Be impeccable with your word.
Just do the best you can.

So here’s what Google told me this morning:

Never expect someone to know how you're feeling, if you haven't told them. Many times we expect people to understand how we feel just by looking or talking to us. People's emotional landscapes are entirely different, so they should not be held accountable for something they were unaware of.

Shy away from self-help literature. While these books can be helpful for creating goals and positive thoughts, those goals can also be unrealistic. Few people are their "best self" every day, so take into account that everyone you interact with is often cycling through highs and lows and may not be their "best self."

Consult someone who you believe has realistic expectations of people. Perhaps they can explain to you how they form expectations of people. Try using their method in your daily life.

So. Can I flip this around? Drop the assumptions, zap the pride ( how dare he treat me like this), see the bigger picture, share with a wise friend, see the situation as a gift. What can I learn from this?

Is this not the same man - an aspiring poet who’d much rather be writing poems about his beloved Espana than be a doctor - who gave me 2 of his books last year, inscribed and personally dedicated ?

Yes.

This morning it’s raining, it’s cold , it's gray and it's misty. Just what the local farmers were hoping for !

The wet weather reminds me of my previous life in Scotland. 18 years ago my heart was hidden under a kind of blanket addiction to sadness, all that childhood stuff, all my inherited Jewish/Irish ancestry heartache, bereavements, the list could go on and on !.

The soul can never be a refugee Gabor Mate says. I love this man! I came to the same conclusion 14 years ago.

About Me.

Hi, I’m Meg Robinson an Irish/Dutch artist writer with Scottish connections. I’ve lived in sunny Andalucía, Spain for 22 years. Recently a DNA test informed me I’m half Jewish Lithuanian. That was a surprise. Having been adopted I had no idea where my father came from. Mystery half solved !
I’ve travelled extensively in South America. Now 3 years in remission from a no hope cancer prognosis , I’m loving life more than ever. I look for the scared and the awesome in the everyday, and delight in sharing these stories in my writing and drawings.
I’ve always travelled off the beaten track alone, because that’s where I meet (extra)ordinary people and things happen! This summer I’m making a pilgrimage to visit the land of my Lithuanian ancestors.